M33 Triangulum Galaxy (more data added)

[Rex]

Hi Everyone. This is my first image with my newly self modded 1100D, I think I like the potential the modd as given this camera. These subs are from last night 24.10.23. I think I might have pushed the data a bit to far, but I have another hour and a quarter of subs from tonight to add to it. I'll fix it all up once I add the new data. As always, critique and advise are welcomed. I want to improve. Thanks for looking.

Image details:
Object: M33 Triangulum galaxy
Location: North of Townsville NQLD
Camera: Modded Canon 1100D Astronomic CLS-CCD clip filter
Scope: Newly acquired carbon fibre Skywatcher 8" f/4 astrograph, MPCC
Exposure: 20 x 300sec @ ISO1600
Guiding: QHY5 4" f/5 newt and PHD
Captured with: APT - Astro Photography Tool
Stacked in DSS and processed in Photoshop CS2

I created an astrobin account this morning and uploaded a better quality image, still not full size but much better.
http://astrob.in/61511/

Well, I finally got around to adding the new data, re-stacking and reprocessing. I had to crop it slightly to remove stacking artifacts. I gotta tell you that I am not sure it was worth the drama, as this time around I really struggled to rein in the reds. I am not sure whether I like the second one or the first. I must be doing something wrong somewhere in the processing because every other pic I have seen of this galaxy has much more blue than red. Please be honest and tell me which you like better and why, (I want to learn). If you have suggestions as to how to make it better I am all ears. Thanks for looking.

[Larryp]

Looks good to me, Rex!

[Spookyer]

Rex, that shot comes up quite large in my browser, might be better to reduce the size and then save as a jpeg, you should get a better quality image to look at then given the file size limitation of the board.

[LewisM]

Sic 'em Rex! :)

Good shot.

[RickS]

Nice work, Rex. Especially from northern Qld! M33 must have been very low in the sky.

[Rex]

Thanks Laurie, since I got this scope I have been really enjoying my astrophotography. I don't feel like I slog my guts out and get nothing in return.


Ok Brett I'll try that when I add the extra subs. thanks for the advice.


Thanks Lewis, I am trying lol.


Thanks Rick, it ranged from 17deg when I started to 39deg at transit. Not long after transit my northern sky is blocked by a tree. I got 23 subs in but lost three due to guiding errors. Can't have everything I guess.

[nebulosity.]

Looking great Rex :thumbsup:

Jo

[Rex]

Thanks Jo. Just gotta find the time to add the extra data now.

[kosh]

Nice job Rex :thumbsup:

[Rex]

Thanks Kosh

[RobF]

That's a really decent M33 Rex. Its a tough one to do justice to and I like the Ha regions you've managed to bring out.

[Retrograde]

Very nice.
It's good to see someone capturing an object we don't see imaged that often (in the Southern Hemisphere at least).

[renormalised]

That's the advantage of living here in the north. We get to image objects most of the rest of Oz can't even dream of doing :) When it's not raining, or all smoked out, or hazy and humid :) :P

Nice piccie :)

[DavidU]

Awesome shot.

[cometcatcher]

M33 is a tough one. You have captured it well, especially from Townsville.

What was it like to mod the 1100D? I'm toying with the idea but am worried about "all thumbs" syndrome with itty bitty screws and cables.

[Rex]

Thanks very much Rob. Hopefully I can do as well when I include the next set of Data.



Thanks Pete. I love the northern sky from here. Quite a few objects that I hope to image over time, M31, Veil, North American Neb, Pelican Neb, Crescent Neb, just to name a few.



Thanks Carl. Yes the dreaded wet is definitely on the way. the humidity is rising day by day. Won't be long and it will all be over until next year :sadeyes:



Thanks Dave.



Thanks Kevin, I feel I am improving. Modding the 1100D is actually not as hard as most people think. Most of the later models have two flters, one you remove and the other you keep. To be honest the only really stressful bit is prying the glass out. Unfortunately the filter you remove is under the one you keep, so have to be very careful not to break the first filter when your removing it to gain access to the second. Other than that, you just take your time and don't rush it.

[Rex]

See first post more data added, and reprocessed.

[Spookyer]

Rex, looks improved to me on my screen.

Brett

[rustigsmed]

G'day Rex,

I've really enjoyed the way you've sunk your teeth back into astrophotos. you are getting great results. you could perhaps turn the red down with PS, by using selective colour? Did you realign the RGB channels after stacking as i believe this gives a stronger red signal on a modded DSLR.

All the best, and keep posting your shots - been terrible weather in melbs so living vicariously through others shots! :thumbsup:

Cheers,

Rusty

[nebulosity.]

Hey Rex, very nice image :thumbsup: as your processing skill increase you will find the extra data really helps the over all image quality.

I used to have problems with the red in my images but found it's gone now that I've got cooling.

I had a go trying to see if I could remove it from your picture and it seems to come out OK, added a bit more blue as well.

Hope you don't mind me having a fiddle, I would recommend keeping all your data for when you want to have a go again.

Cheers
Jo

[Rex]

Thanks Brett, on mine it looks terrible, but I kind got to a point and was just going round in circles, so gave up and asked for help.


Thanks Rusty, for the encouragement and advice. I did try selective colour but still wasn't getting the results I wanted. I didn't realign them no, but most of my stacks come out of DSS with them already aligned, not sure if thats correct or not but that's the way they come out. Hope the weather improves for yuo soon.



Thanks Jo, I don't mind at all, what you've done is great, you have actually achieved what I was trying too. Can I ask that you post the exact procedure along with the settings for each that you used to fix it please? I stuffed around for hours and couldn't get the result you have. If you could that would be great, so that then I can try them on the original. tanks again for your help.

[nebulosity.]

G'day Rex,

Here is what I did to your image.

First reduced the saturation of the red... Pic 1

Then with a brush removed this adjustment on the galaxy... Pic 2

I then lifted the blue level of the image... Pic 3

Which made sky a bit to blue so I removed this adjustment where it wasn't needed... Pic four

I then lifted the exposure, dropped the highlights and added some definition to bring out the galaxy arms a bit more... Pic 5

Then brushed in some contrast to darken the sky a bit... Pic 6

And then your :D :thumbsup: ... Pic 7

Please note, I really don't know what I'm doing as I'm still trying to get my head around processing myself, there are probably much better ways of doing this :lol:

Cheers
Jo

[Rex]

Thanks for going to so much trouble to post that info Jo, what program is that you used? my PS looks very different to that.

[nebulosity.]

No worries Rex, glad I could help. I use a mac so it's the mac image editing program Aperture, not as complex as Photoshop but quite good.

Cheers
Jo